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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Orphan Works Bill...

Latest update from the Illustrators Partnership…

Hi Guys,

Things are even more manic than usual here at the Keep, as I juggle the day-to-day running of Wizards Keep and the many networks we have, alongside the digital painting of the Worlds End graphic novel and my children’s book commercial commissions, hence the smaller amounts of Blogging at the moment.

This popped into one of my inboxes the other day and I promised I would post it ASAP, so here without further ado…

FROM THE ILLUSTRATORS' PARTNERSHIPWhite House Seeks Artists' Comments to Improve Copyright Protection

Victoria Espinel is the first U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC), also known as the Copyright Czar. Congress created IPEC by an Act of Congress. Ms. Espinel serves within the Executive Office of the President to coordinate with all the federal agencies that fight the infringement of intellectual property.

Ms. Espinel and her team are specifically tasked with formulating and implementing a Joint Strategic Plan to help protect the ingenuity and creativity of Americans by improving the U.S. Government's protection of the rights of intellectual property owners.

Your input is requested.

The White House is inviting your public input and participation to shape an effective intellectual property enforcement strategy. Please respond with your written submissions regarding the costs to you, your business and the U.S. economy resulting from infringement of your intellectual property rights, both direct and indirect.

This will be a 2-part process.

The first is to gather public recommendations by March 24. IPEC will then gather your input on the formulated plan.

Please be precise.

Include your name, city, state, and what type of artist you are. Explain why copyright is critical to you as a commercial artist, how infringement affects you, and what the U.S. government can do to better protect the rights of American artists. If your submission is about your economic loss due to infringement of your copyrights you must clearly identify the methodology used to calculate your losses or otherwise validate your infringement and enforcement costs.

Your submission will be publicly posted.

For this reason, please do not include in your comments information of a confidential nature, such as sensitive personal information or proprietary information.

Confidential disclosures.

If you have confidential business information that would support your recommendation or that you believe would help the Government formulate an effective enforcement strategy, please let them know by contacting:

Thomas L. Stoll

Office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator

(202) 395-1808

Deadline: Submissions must be received by Wednesday, March 24, 2010, at 5 p.m. EST.

Over 85 organizations opposed the last Orphan Works bills, representing over half a million creators. Illustrators, photographers, fine artists, songwriters, musicians, and countless licensing firms all believe this bill will harm their small businesses.

If you received our mail as a forwarded message and wish to subscribe to the IPA mailing alerts, click on the link below, "Join Our Mailing List" and follow the simple directions on the webpage.

Please post or forward this message to any interested party.

Well I just did that, so let's hope some sense is put into this ongoing problem in the USA, which will have profound effect on the Uk and the rest of the world if it is passed, as a bill of law.